The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has agreed a suite of actions in support of the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) strategy to decarbonise international shipping in line with the United Nations 1.5 degree climate change goal.
Speaking recently, ICS Chairman Mr Esben Poulsson said: “It is imperative that IMO Member States adopt a new global regulation to mandate further short term CO2 reduction measures at the next session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee in 2020. This should deliver further CO2 reductions by 2023 to help us meet the IMO target set for 2030. We will work with a broad coalition of governments to produce a comprehensive proposal that can be submitted to IMO in September this year.”
Mr Poulsson continued: “The core of this proposal will be the Super SEEMP concept, whereby shipping companies globally will have to demonstrate they are doing absolutely everything possible to reduce fuel consumption, strictly enforced via flag state audits of Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plans. But we also agreed to incorporate elements of the many other good proposals made by governments at the last round of IMO discussions on CO2 reduction in May.”
Mr Poulsson added, “By coming forward with an early proposal for immediate adoption we wish to support continuing IMO leadership on GHG emissions and quickly incentivise further action by shipping companies. We do not wish to limit proper consideration of other ideas such as speed reduction or the use of new CO2 reduction technologies.”
ICS has also confirmed the vital importance of research and development of zero-carbon fuels and propulsion systems that will be necessary to achieve the ambitious IMO target of cutting shipping’s total GHG emissions by 50 per cent by 2050 regardless of maritime trade growth, and continuing to work with other industry stakeholders to explore how R&D can best be rapidly accelerated.
2020 Global Sulphur Cap
ICS members have reiterated their commitment to the successful implementation of the IMO global sulphur cap from January 1, 2020, noting ICS’s plans to revise its comprehensive guidance to shipowners on ensuring compliance, to take account of recent IMO decisions. This is notwithstanding continuing uncertainty about the worldwide availability of safe and compliant low sulphur fuels, and the operational challenges associated with using new 0.5 per cent max. sulphur blends.
ICS remains concerned about continuing delays with the publication of the latest ISO Publicly Available Specification for low sulphur fuels, and related quality and safety issues where control depends on these standards being quickly finalised and distributed, given that the industry is only six months away from full global implementation, said arelease.
Mr Poulsson added “It is vital that everyone concerned including governments, ISO, oil producers and bunker suppliers redouble their efforts to ensure that safe and compatible fuels – including 0.5 per cent blends for those ships that choose to use them – will be available in every port worldwide.”
